Sustainable Shopping Checklist to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

There’s a lot of buzz around words like sustainability, but what does it really mean? And how can you adjust your lifestyle to be better for the planet? In essence, living sustainably constitutes a lifestyle that leaves little impact on the environment, which is where ideas like zero waste living come in. However, zero waste (or low waste) living can be a sharp adjustment, especially depending on how you currently live.

If you’re looking for small changes you can make that will be better for the environment (and even your wallet), you can start by analyzing the products you purchase. Look through the checklist below to get an idea of what this might look like, and what questions to ask yourself before ordering another new pair of shoes.

1. Avoid Plastics Where Possible

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, some plastics actually can be composted. However, most cannot. In fact, rather than being composted, a good majority of plastic breaks down in landfills and releases microplastics into the environment. We then inhale these microplastics, which studies have shown to adversely affect human health.

Microplastics and other plastics wasting away in landfills aren’t the only problems with this synthetic material. Roughly 14 million tons of plastic reach our oceans each year, all of which harms marine life as well as human life, particularly if we consume seafood that once consumed readily available plastic during its life.

To reduce the amount of plastic in your life, consider making bulk purchases of goods that only come in plastic packaging in your area. Alternatively, shopping at zero-waste stores that require you to bring your own containers is beneficial, along with using a reusable water bottle and using bar soap instead of soap that comes in a plastic container.

2. Make a Meal Plan Before Grocery Shopping

Food rot is another contributing factor to climate change and as such, negatively impacts our environment. Making a meal plan before shopping for groceries can ensure you’re not purchasing goods you won’t use.

To further reduce your waste, you can also try composting your vegetable and fruit scraps or look for a local composting company that offers this service for the community.

3. Research How Your Desired Products are Made

Doing your research before purchasing products can be very beneficial in understanding each product’s potential environmental impact. Many companies who create truly sustainable, low-waste products will often advertise this but beware of companies who greenwash products by adding a sustainability-type label but not living up to their claims.

When researching how a product is made, consider what materials were used in the process. For example, many fast fashion brands use synthetic fibers in their clothing (otherwise known as plastic), making the clothing difficult to break down over time. To combat this, many companies have begun offering buy-back programs in order to reuse clothing and other goods consumers no longer have need of.

4. Use Reusable Shopping Bags

It may seem like a small task, but bringing reusable bags with you when you shop can reduce the amount of plastic you use, but it’s also a public way to take a stand against climate change.

When shopping for groceries, consider going to grocery stores that allow you to buy nuts, flour, and other goods in bulk. You can then bring smaller reusable bags to fill up with flour and other goods, thus reducing your environmental impact further.

Transitioning to a sustainable lifestyle can seem daunting if you don’t break it up into smaller goals. Setting a goal to be better at one thing this week (such as taking your reusable bags with you to the grocery store) and then purchasing some sustainable decor next week can help the process seem like less of a hardship and more of an exciting journey.

For additional tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint, check out this infographic from RetireGuide.